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The world's first quad-core tablet has more than meets the eye. In-Game's Todd Kenreck reports.
ThinkGeek
Have a gamer you're trying to buy the perfect gift for this holiday? We have some great/goofy ideas for you.
The gamer in your life has probably already given you an extensive list of the many video games he or she would love to find wrapped up in a gift box this holiday season.
But there's more to life than just video games. Or rather, what I mean to say is ... when it comes to giving gifts to gamers, I've been thinking outside the box.
What follows is a look at some fun, if not downright goofy game-themed toys, trinkets, odds and ends sure to put a smile on the face of the game enthusiast you know and love.
Portal 2 Aperture Laboratories Shower Curtain - $20, ThinkGeek
ThinkGeek
What gamer doesn't love the "Portal" games? More importantly, what gamer wouldn't appreciate a little something to help inspire them to belt out that beloved "Portal" tune "Still Alive" while showering in the morning?
You'll be happy to know that this "Portal 2"-themed shower curtain "contains less than 1% mercury" and is most likely not radioactive. Though, as the sales pitch suggests, you might want to consider wearing your lead underwear when you're behind this curtain ... just to be safe.
Speaking of neat-o "Portal"-themed gift ideas, check out these Portal bookends as well as this Portal 2 Cave Johnson Talking Portrait. In fact, here's a handy link to all of ThinkGeek's Portal-themed gift items.
iCade iPad Arcade Cabinet – $80, ThinkGeek
Know someone who'd enjoy playing some old-school Atari games on their new-school iPad ... but may not be too excited about the touch-screen interface? The iCade cabinet offers an eye-catching, retro-cool solution.
Download this Atari's Greatest Hits app, then simply slide the original iPad or iPad 2 into this desktop-sized cabinet and fire up retro hits like "Centipede," "Asteroid," "Missile Command," "Tempest" and loads of other old-school faves.
Meanwhile, for a slightly less expensive way to add joystick controls to your iPad games, check out the $18 Joystick-It iPad Arcade Stick.
Video game controller charms - $7, Etsy.com
Etsy/Outpost8
Here's a surefire way to charm the girl (or boy) gamer in your life. These hand-made charms come in the shape of Sega Genesis, Wii, PlayStation, NES, Xbox 360 and Atari controllers. But the seller — Alia B. at Outpost8 — says she can custom make other controller charms as well.
Lootiful.com
iPWN! 4 Case - $18, Lootiful.com
Here's a little something for the Nintendo/Apple fanboy or fangirl in your life. The iPWN! 4 case transforms your iPhone into an old-school Game Boy – at least on the outside. Lootiful also offers a silicone model and is taking pre-orders for a case that turns your iPad into a giant Game Boy.
Meanwhile, you can find a couple of similar offerings over at Etsy. Check out this hand-sewn Game Boy-themed iPad case ($50).
Etsy/DigitalSoaps
Game controller soaps — prices vary, Etsy
Does someone you know spend too much time playing "Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" and too little time taking care of, oh, personal hygiene? Well, here's the perfect gift (and not-so-subtle hint) for that particular gamer in your life.
Etsy seller DigitalSoaps offers a variety of scented soaps in the shape of various game controllers. There's the NES controller ($11) and the PlayStation 3 controller ($22) as well as soap in the shape of an Xbox 360 ($9).
And speaking of nifty controller-themed items on Etsy, check out these very cool controller ornaments ($30).
Jinx.com
T-shirts, T-shirts, T-shirts - prices vary
Whether the gamer in your life adores "Minecraft," "Warcraft" or "Starcraft," you can't go wrong with a gift that lets them wear their love of gaming on their sleeve (literally).
Several websites offer a variety of gamer T-shirts and clothing items. Check out the "Minecraft" tees at Jinx.com, the 8-Bit Dynamic Life shirt at ThinkGeek, or the various video-game-themed tees at Splitreason, SharkRobot and Threadless.
And if T-shirts aren't quite their thing, how about these gamer socks and undies.
Zynga/Best Buy
FarmVille plush toys - $10, Best Buy
Speaking of game addictions, surely the "FarmVille" player in your life will love you for making their Facebook gaming habit just a little bit more tangible with these collectible "FarmVille" toys.
"FarmVille" creator Zynga has partnered with Best Buy to sell a series of eight plush farm animals. And the good news for the gamer you'll gift these trinkets to is that each plush animal unlocks an exclusive virtual animal within the Facebook game and comes with 10 Farm Cash to use in the game as well.
Angry Birds: Knock on Wood - $30, various retailers
Rovio/Mattel
Here's a painless way to ease the "Angry Birds" addict in your life away from playing the game on their smartphone or tablet ... and into playing it with you out here in the so-called real world.
That's right, the hit game app has been turned into an officially licensed board game complete with bird-flinging sling-shot, building blocks and tiny pig enemies to knock down. But no matter how hard you try, you won't be able to download this game. You'll find it at retailers such Amazon, Target or ToysRUs.
ThinkGeek
Pac Man Plush Hat - $30, ThinkGeek
It's cold outside. This hat is warm. This hat is awesome. This hat is also ... a little creepy. Surely, someone you know and love should have this hat.
For more holiday gift ideas for the gamer in your life, check out these stories:
Winda Benedetti writes about games for msnbc.com. You can follow her tweets about games and other things here on Twitter or join her in the stream here on Google+. And be sure to check out the In-Game Facebook page here.
A security researcher and systems analyst says a company's software is secretly logging the keystrokes of Android phone users, as well as those on some BlackBerrys and Nokia devices, although the company that makes the software denies the claims.
The matter has grown so contentious that the company, Carrier IQ, threatened researcher Trevor Eckhart of Connecticut with legal action, but then backed off and apologized after the Electronic Frontier Foundation recently intervened.
David Kravets of Wired's Threat Level has been writing about Eckhart's finding that Carrier IQ software "secretly chronicles a user’s phone experience, from its apps, battery life and texts. Some carriers prevent users who actually find the software from controlling what information is sent."
Other articles have appeared on the issue, but it's Eckhart's video (above) that many find chilling.
"Cringe as the video shows the software logging each number as Eckhart fingers the dialer," Kravets wrote.
Watching all of it may be too much tech for many, but at between 11:30 and 13:30 minutes into the video, you get the picture, as the keystrokes made on the phone screen, including text messages, are logged and shown on another screen.
Eckhart says Carrier IQ's software is a "rootkit," spying on unsuspecting users. Carrier IQ says it is not.
"While we look at many aspects of a device’s performance, we are counting and summarizing performance, not recording keystrokes or providing tracking tools," the company says in a statement.
In its Nov. 23 letter apologizing to Eckhart, shared on the company's site, Carrier IQ said it wanted to make clear what its software does do:
Our software makes your phone work better by identifying dropped calls and poor service. Our software identifies problems that impede a phone’s battery life. Our software makes customer service quicker, more accurate, and more efficient. Our software helps quickly identify trending problems to help mobile networks prevent them from becoming more widespread.
Related stories:
Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on Facebook, and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.
"I founded Facebook on the idea that people want to share and connect with people in their lives, but to do this everyone needs complete control over who they share with at all times," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a blog post Tuesday, following news of the social network's settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over mass privacy violations. "This idea has been the core of Facebook since day one."
One need look no further than an IM exchange between a 19-year-old Zuckerberg and a friend soon after he launched Facebook in his Harvard dorm room in 2004 to call shenanigans on that statement alone:
Zuck: Yeah so if you ever need info about anyone at Harvard
Zuck: Just ask.
Zuck:I have over 4,000 emails, pictures, addresses, SNS
[Friend's name redacted]: What? How'd you manage that one?
Zuck: People just submitted it.
Zuck: I don't know why.
Zuck: They "trust me"
Zuck: Dumb f**ks.
But hey, who am I to resurface the youthful indiscretions of a responsible adult? That's Facebook's job — and that's the problem.
Everything about Facebook is designed to make it easy for people to reveal things about themselves. Nothing about Facebook's FTC settlement — and a spin-heavy mea culpa from the CEO and/or media consultant — changes that.
According to the FTCcomplaint, Facebook "deceived consumers by telling them they could keep their information on Facebook private, and then repeatedly allowing it to be shared and made public."
In the FTC settlement, Facebook is now barred "from making any further deceptive privacy claims." It also requires "that the company get consumer's approval before it changes the way it shares their data, and requires that it obtain periodic assessments of its privacy practices by independent, third-party auditors for the next 20 years."
The settlement does not require that Facebook restore the privacy settings it rolled back in 2009, which led to the FTC investigation. Much of your information is still widely available to the public — as well as to Facebook's business partners — by default. If you want more privacy, you need to "opt-out," otherwise your info is out there for anyone to see.
For example, Facebook has simplified the privacy settings, and given users more control. But hiding information involves granular settings, and many steps, while leaving your info for almost anyone to find is as easy as logging on to the site. If users even understand the privacy settings, limiting sharing to a certain group is a tedious effort compared to just posting their stuff to the known world.
Oh, and guess what? There are still no privacy controls on your name and profile pic. It's right there in the Terms of Service.
Nothing in the FTC settlement requires Facebook to change that, so the big land grab Facebook made on your privacy two years ago remains a success. With two former FTC members in its employ, you best believe Facebook knows what it's doing. Facebook is increasingly inextricable from our lives. Take, for example, this article. Want to comment on it? Log on to Facebook.
The Kool-Aid that Facebook's increasingly asking you to drink is echoed here in Zuckerberg's note: "We made it easy for people to feel comfortable sharing things about their real lives." Easy, and now, almost impossible not to. But do you feel comfortable?
You shouldn't.
"While Facebook claims that it retains this information only to improve the effectiveness of its social plugins, profiles like these are a potential goldmine to online advertisers and can be irresistible to law enforcement, not to mention other third parties like insurance companies or divorce attorneys," points out Chris Conley, Technology & Civil Liberties Fellow at the ACLU of Northern California.
Further, "the FTC is empowered to ensure that Facebook complies with the settlement, and Facebook has made a broad promise not to 'misrepresent' its privacy protections in the future," Conley writes. "But it’s not entirely clear whether the FTC would use this authority to challenge new Facebook products or services that aren't dealing with information currently covered by a privacy setting."
Got "nothing to hide?" That argument was never valid. A quick review of the Electronic Frontier Foundation's growing gallery of evidence revealing social media monitoring by various U.S. government agencies makes that clear. Just last year, via the Freedom of Information Act, EFF received "a number of documents from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) highlighting the government’s ability to scour not only social networks, but record each and every corner of the Internet."
If that doesn't bother you even a little bit, given our current environment of "casually pepper-spraying cop," it really should.
But one needn't by cryptic to understand that privacy is tricky. Today’s benefit is so clear (ooh! cool photo) and tomorrow’s consequence so fuzzy (sorry, we can’t hire you). That means, any fair-minded social network would go overboard in protecting people’s privacy just to even the score.
In a world where we’ve forced McDonald’s to put calorie counts next to Big Macs on a menu, why can’t we tell Facebook it has to make people much more aware of the potential consequences of sharing, and build its tools to be privacy-first? Public sharing should be the opt-in.
As my much smarter colleague Bob Sullivan (of Red Tape Chronicles fame)points out, "Using Facebook can be a lot like those horrible morning-after thoughts you have when you realize you wildly overshared the night before down at the bar. And Facebook is the free shots the bartender gave you."
More on the annoying way we live now:
Helen A.S. Popkin goes blah blah blah about privacy, then asks you to join her on Facebook and/or Twitter ... because that's how she rolls. Oh! Also, Google+.
Jason Reed / Reuters file
Women seem to prefer the white iPhone to the black model, according to new research.
How badly did many of us want the new iPhone 4S? Badly enough to break our contracts with wireless carriers and pay an early termination fee to get the phone, according to some new research.
Consumer Intelligence Research Partners surveyed 4S buyers between Oct. 31 and Nov. 10 and found that "45 percent said they had broken a contract with their current or previous carrier to buy or upgrade to the device. Of those, more than 70 percent paid an early termination fee greater than $100 to do so," according to AllThingsD.
AT&T, Verizon and Sprint charge a maximum early termination fee of $350.
From an initial response of 4,632 people, the research firm said it surveyed 504 "qualified subjects" for its analysis about iPhone 4S buyers. Among its other findings:
Related stories:
Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on Facebook, and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.
Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images
In this file photo, a pilot whale with an injured nose rises out of the water as a pod of approximately 100 gather in Loch Carron in Scotland. A new crowdsourcing project is attempting to decipher pilot whale calls.
The collective wisdom of the crowd is being called upon to help scientists decipher the language of pilot and killer whales in a project that could help us operate our machines in harmony with the ocean giants.
To participate, log on to Whale.fm, a project sponsored by Zooniverse and Scientific American, and try to match up similar sounding whale calls.
That is, what I think are two similar sounding calls might not be what you think. If hundreds or thousands of people group the same sounds together, though, they're more likely a match.
Whale.fm is particularly important for basic pilot whale research, since scientists know so little about them. What they do know suggests they communicate in similar ways to killer whales, which are known to live in family groups and communicate among themselves in unique dialects.
Scientists collected the whale calls over the years with underwater microphones suctioned onto whales, dragged behind ships and attached to buoys. Each sound and a corresponding spectrogram — a visual representation of the whale sound snippet — are presented for users to find a match.
The site also plots on a world map where the call was recorded and even offers users an option to track specific whales.
If all goes well and lots of people participate, researchers should get answers to questions such as the size of the pilot whale call repertoire, any differences between the repertoires of long and short finned pilot whales, and how, if at all, the calls change amid noise such as sonar.
The project will also let researchers know how well volunteers agree with each other and, thus, how good we are at collectively categorizing the calls of vocal species such as whales.
This type of crowdsourcing — tapping the wisdom of the crowd to form a collective intelligence — has been used for other research projects in the past, including Zooniverse's Planet Hunters, which is harnessing crowds to find new planets.
If the crowd turns out to be wise enough to help researchers decipher whale songs, what else can we do?
More on crowdsourcing projects:
Kids' play has moved to tablets and PCs. In this new age, toy makers and researchers alike are sorting out the benefits — and detriments — of playful educational interaction in virtual space.
Square Enix
Our "deals of the day" roundup is a selection of some of the better gadgets, gaming and app deals on the Internet right now — with a few strange odds and ends thrown in for fun. Here's what's worth considering today: "Deus Ex: Human Revolution" for $30, discounted Dell gear, deals of GPS devices and more.
Gadgets:
Gaming:
Apps:
Miscellaneous odds and ends:
Today's deals were discovered via:
Dealhack, AppBrain, LogicBUY, FatWallet, Laptopaholic, 148Apps,SlickDeals, CheapStingyBargains, Dealzon, Brand Name Coupons, GamerHotline, HDTVaholic and Tabletaholic.
Please read the detailed descriptions of each linked offer carefully before buying — msnbc.com is not responsible for the duration or integrity of individual deals.
Want more tech news, silly puns, or amusing links? You'll get plenty of all three if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on Twitter, subscribing to her Facebook posts, or circling her on Google+.
Aly Song / Reuters file
Customers talk to a salesperson about a new laptop at a Lenovo shop in Shanghai earlier this year.
Chinese PC maker Lenovo surpassed Dell to become the world's second-largest PC brand in the third quarter, with HP still retaining the top spot, according to IHS.
While PC sales have been sluggish in the United States, Lenovo "continues to capitalize on strong demand for PCs in its home market of China,” said Matthew Wilkins, IHS principal analyst for compute platforms research. “While PC sales in the United States, Europe and many other regions are suffering because of weak economic conditions and rising competition from media tablets, desktop and notebook sales remain red hot in China. This is allowing Lenovo to outgrow its U.S. rivals — and putting it in position to contend with HP for market leadership.”
Earlier this year, HP said that it was considering spinning off its PC division, then changed its mind.
Lenovo’s global PC shipments in the third quarter totaled 12.5 million units, up 14.5 percent from 10.9 million in the second quarter, IHS said. "This strong growth dramatically exceeded the growth of the overall PC market, which expanded by only 5.5 percent during the same period, causing Lenovo’s share of global shipments to rise to 13.9 percent, up from 12.8 percent in the second quarter."
With its gains, Lenovo "managed to close its market share gap with No. 1-ranked HP to just 4.2 percentage points," representing "the closest any company has come to taking the lead position from HP since the second quarter of 2008 ... when Dell came within 2.7 percentage points of the perennial market leader," the research firm said.
IHS
After HP, Lenovo and Dell, the other top PC makers were Acer and ASUS.
Lenovo’s "rise to second place is all the more impressive considering the company was ranked fourth as recently as the first quarter of 2011," IHS said.
Related stories:
Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on Facebook, and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.
Spotify
The folks behind Spotify held a press conference on Wednesday to announce that the popular music streaming service will be opening up its doors to developers and new partners. In other words? Apps — and an app store — are coming to Spotify.
The initial batch of apps will be offered by Rolling Stone, Last.fm, Billboard and other Spotify partners. Some examples of what we'll see include curated playlists, lyrics, music discovery, concert listings, articles, reviews and more.
Spotify will call its app store the "App Finder" and — similarly to Apple — will require developers to submit apps for approval before they're made available to users.
Oh, and it's not just third-parties who are bringing new features to the service. Spotify intends to offer new tools as well, including a Facebook-style "ticker" that will show you what your friends are listening to in real time. (Yes, that may sound familiar to Facebook users.)
Related stories:
Want more tech news, silly puns, or amusing links? You'll get plenty of all three if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on Twitter, subscribing to her Facebook posts, or circling her on Google+.
A robot named Qbo is placed in front of a mirror and learns to recognize itself.
A robot that looks like a little green Martian in a snowsuit has learned to recognize itself in the mirror — and is pleased with what it sees.
Mirror-self recognition is a hallmark of intelligence in animals, something found in primates, dolphins and elephants, for example, but not dogs.
As seen in the video, Qbo is trained to recognize itself and, when it does, give the programmed response: "Oh, this is me. Nice."
"This quite simple experiment touches interesting psychological aspects of self-consciousness," the blog reads.
The researchers are working on programming the robot so it can recognize itself autonomously when found in front of the mirror, one step closer to true self awareness.
While robots don't yet rule the world, they are getting smarter.
More on robots and intelligence:
Kids' play has moved to tablets and PCs. In this new age, toy makers and researchers alike are sorting out the benefits — and detriments — of playful educational interaction in virtual space.
Invent.org
Steve Jobs helped create the first Apple computer and the rest is history, as many of us know, including the Macintosh, the iMac, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad. But Jobs was fanatical about design and details, from the Apple power adapter plug that folds into the adapter, to the staircases of many of Apple's retail stores. There are more than 300 patents with his name on them, and they are showcased in an exhibit, "The Patents and Trademarks of Steve Jobs: Art and Technology that Changed the World," sponsored by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
“This exhibit commemorates the far-reaching impact of Steve Jobs’ entrepreneurship and innovation on our daily lives,” said David Kappos, director of the patent and trademark office, in a statement.“His patents and trademarks provide a striking example of the importance intellectual property plays in the global marketplace.”
The exhibit — with Jobs' patents and trademarks shown on a slew of ginormous iPhone mock-ups — was created and designed by Invent Now, a non-profit organization "dedicated to fostering invention and creativity," and which also runs the National Inventors Hall of Fame and Museum.
Invent.org
The tribute to Jobs opened earlier this month, and goes through Jan. 15; it's located at the patent and trademark office's Alexandria, Va., campus, and is free and open to the public. You can learn more here.
If you can't make it to the exhibit, the New York Times put together a graphic of Jobs' patents. Despite some duds — the infamous iMac "hockey puck" mouse among them — there's little question Jobs' vision influenced the technology and design most of us are familiar with and appreciate today.
Related stories:
Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on Facebook, and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.
The black navigation bar found at the top of every Google page has been annoying some users since its very debut, but don't worry — it's about to be old news.
Its replacement? A simple gray bar with a drop-down menu hidden underneath the Google logo.
According to the Official Google Blog, this changing of the guard is part of the company's ongoing redesign — which includes new looks for Search, News, Maps, Gmail and other Google products.
The new navigation bar will include three key features: A drop-down menu hidden under the Google logo, a search box for whichever Google service you're using at the moment and a section for Google+ share and notification tools.
Here's how all those things function together:
Much more appealing than the intrusive black navigation bar, no?
By the way: You shouldn't panic if you're still seeing the old black Google bar. The new one is being rolled out gradually, so it may be a while before it gets to you.
Related stories:
Want more tech news, silly puns or amusing links? You'll get plenty of all three if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on Twitter, subscribing to her Facebook posts, or circling her on Google+.
via BuzzFeed
Our pre-caffeine roundup is a collection of the hottest, strangest, and most amusing stories of the morning. Here's everything that you need to know before taking that first sip of coffee today:
If Mark Twain — also known as Samuel Clemens — were alive today, he would be celebrating his 176th birthday right now. But since the author isn't around to blow out candles or eat cake, Google is marking the occasion by putting some of his beloved characters onto its homepage.
Government regulators are sharing some alarming information about Facebook: They believe the online social network has often misled its more than 800 million users about the sanctity of their personal information.
Speaking of Google doodles, if you haven't caught all of them, no need to worry — there's a shortcut to those images for your viewing pleasure.
According to "sources," The Daily is reporting that Microsoftwill launch Office for iPad, as well as a new Mac edition. As for Microsoft (which, along with NBC Universal, is a co-owner of msnbc.com), a spokesperson could only tell us, "We have nothing to share at this time."
Meanwhile, according to Gizmodo, Amazon totally just de-rooted your jailbroke Kindle Fire with it's 6.2 update.
Here in the good ol' U.S. of A, it's either an Android or iPhone for 71 percent of smartphone users.
Speaking of smartphones, a rating system like the one now used for video games is on it's way for mobile apps in a move geared to provide guidance to parents, especially when it comes to sexually explicit or violent apps.
Can you really learn relativity from a comic book? The Japanese have been using manga for decades to teach complex subjects, and now Americans are doing it too.
Speaking of which, here's a geek shopping site threatens to leave you broke.
In closing, Morrissey gets a job ... heaven knows he's miserable now.
— compiled by Helen A.S. Popkin, who invites you to join her on Twitter and/or Facebook. Also, Google+.
If Mark Twain — also known as Samuel Clemens — were alive today, he would be celebrating his 176th birthday right now. But since the author isn't around to blow out candles or eat cake, Google is marking the occasion by putting some of his beloved characters onto its homepage.
This isn't the first time that Google has decided to celebrate the anniversary of a notable individual's birth, of course. Scientist Marie Curie, musician Freddie Mercury, photography pioneer Louis Daguerre, and many others have already been honored with a Google doodle — a redesigned version of the Google homepage logo — on their respective birthdays.
Like those other doodles, Twain's is a charming tribute to one of his most memorable accomplishments. The illustration features characters from two of Twain's most popular novels, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." The two fellas are recreating a well-known scene — one in which a boy by the name of Tom Sawyer tricks friends into whitewashing a fence for him — with a slight Google twist.
This latest Google doodle isn't exactly as elaborate as some of its animated and interactive predecessors, but it's certainly delightful and captures a familiar moment from a beloved childhood read.
Related stories:
Want more tech news, silly puns or amusing links? You'll get plenty of all three if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on Twitter, subscribing to her Facebook posts, or circling her on Google+.
Rockstar Games
Whether the gamer on your shopping list enjoys a good crime saga, a swashbuckling adventure or an epic medieval tale, here are some of the video games that scratch the narrative itch.
Whether it’s the history-spanning tale of an assassin and his family or an elaborate narrative about a medieval kingdom plagued by civil war and dragons, some of this year’s best video games feature enthralling stories deftly told.
If the gamer in your life (and on your shopping list) loves a good yarn, here are some games that would make excellent gifts for them this holiday.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim — PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Rated M, $60
Bethesda
The epic medieval role-playing game "Skyrim" is so full of story you could spend months on end trying to get to the bottom of it all. Just to start with, there is the enthralling main story to dive into — a tale about a kingdom in the grips of a civil war during a time when dragons have also suddenly reappeared. You, of course, play the protagonist — the "dragonborn" hero whose coming was foretold.
But there is so much happening beyond this main plotline it's hard to know where to start. The numerous side quests are filled with tales of intrigue, treachery and adventure of all sorts. Want a vampire story? It's in there. How about a story about werewolves? That too.
And as if that wasn't enough, throughout this digital world you'll find books to read that tell the tales of various people and various events that have happened during Skyrim's history. This library alone could keep you occupied for days or weeks on end.
If you know someone who enjoys George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" books, then it's a good bet "Skyrim" will be a big hit with them.
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations — PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Rated M, $50
Ubisoft
If the gamer on your holiday shopping list is the kind of person who'd enjoy an epic story that weaves the past and present together into one thrilling, history-and-globe-spanning adventure — then look no further than this fourth game in the "Assassin's Creed" main series.
"Revelations" drops players into an ambitious tale about a man and two of his ancestors caught up in an ancient war between the Templars and the Assassins. It's a story that's set both in modern times as well as in ancient Constantinople.
Part historical epic, part sci-fi brain bender, "Revelations" delivers a story filled with vibrant characters and an abundance of big ideas. In short, it's the kind of story you'll happily lose yourself in.
L.A. Noire — Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Rated M, $40
Rockstar Games
Murder, betrayal, drugs and corruption — the open-world action adventure known as "L.A. Noire" has all of this in spades plus a cool old-school 1947 Los Angeles setting that just begs to be explored.
The game drop you into the shoes of a cop returned from World War II — a cop who must try to get the bottom of a series of crimes using his wits, his observational skills and his ability to get information out of people.
This is a story filled to the brim with unique, well-drawn characters stunningly rendered thanks to some amazing motion-capture technology and superb voice acting. In fact, "L.A. Noire" does such a good job weaving an intrigue-filled tale in the gritty film noir style that, earlier this year, it became the first video game ever screened at the Tribeca Film Festival.
If you know someone who loves the film noir detective movies of the 1940s and 50s or the old hardboiled crime novels, then this game is a must for them.
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception — PlayStation 3, Rated T, $60
Naughty Dog
For those looking for a big, cinematic storytelling and gaming experience, the latest in the "Uncharted" franchise is sure to fit the bill.
This swashbuckling tale sweeps players up into the globe-trotting, treasure-hunting adventures of Nathan Drake — a modern-day Indiana Jones if ever there was one. This time around, players find Drake heading into the Arabian Desert on the hunt for the fabled city of Ubar — also known as the "Atlantis of the Sands."
Of course, there are plenty of twists, turns, narrow misses, intrigue and even a little romance along the way ... making it so this game is nothing but pure adventure-filled fun.
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword — Wii, Rated E10+, $50
Nintendo
Speaking of adventure-filled fun ... there's nothing like experiencing a story that sweeps you up and takes you along on an epic voyage. And that's exactly what "Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword" does ... while tossing in some top-notch Wii Motion Plus sword fighting to boot.
What's especially cool about this tale is that it's an origin story that not only takes us along on an enthralling journey with childhood friends (and Nintendo favorites) Link and Zelda but reveals the land of Hyrule's past.
The game's film-like cinematics do much to help deliver a narrative that's full of magical, family-friendly adventures and lively characters as well as some truly heartfelt moments.
Of course, this is just a short list of games that feature top-notch stories. What do you think: Which games would you recommend for someone who likes a well-told tale?
For more holiday shopping recommendations, be sure to check out:
Winda Benedetti writes about games for msnbc.com. You can follow her tweets about games and other things here on Twitter or join her in the stream here on Google+. And be sure to check out the In-Game Facebook page here.
According to "sources," The Daily is reporting that Microsoft will launch Office for iPad, as well as a new Mac edition.
The notion that Microsoft is at work on this wouldn't be farfetched — Office has thrived on the Mac, and Microsoft doesn't ignore huge markets. As for timing, The Daily's Matt Hickey reports that a new Office for Mac and an Office for Windows 8 would launch near the end of 2012, presumably when Windows 8 itself launches. Meanwhile, the iPad version could launch "well ahead of that date."
As for Microsoft (which, along with NBC Universal, is a co-owner of msnbc.com), a spokesperson could only tell us, "We have nothing to share at this time."
Sure, it's a rumor, but it's a juicy one, and one we'd like to see come true. Here's hoping.
More on Microsoft from msnbc.com:
Catch up with Wilson on Twitter at @wjrothman, or on Google+. And join our conversation on Facebook.
Navy test pilot Lt. Chris Tabert takes off in F-35C test aircraft CF-3 Nov. 18, the first launch of the carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter from the Navy's new electromagnetic aircraft launch system, set to install on future USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).
An electromagnetic catapult successfully launched a fighter jet in a demonstration of two futuristic technologies, the U.S. Navy announced Monday.
The electromagnetic aircraft launch system, as the electromagnetic catapult is formally known, is being developed to replace the steam catapults that have launched fighter jets off Navy carriers for more than 50 years.
The system, according to the Navy, is an improvement over of steam catapults, which are unable to generate the power needed to launch heavier and faster next generation fighter jets. The catapult also causes less wear and tear on aircraft and is easier to maintain.
In addition to the F-35C, which is a carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter scheduled for carrier trials in 2013, the EMALS team has launched a T-45 Goshawk, an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, a C-2A Greyhound and several F/A-18 aircraft with and without stores over the past 12 months, the Navy reported.
EMALS will be deployed on the Navy's futuristic aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford, which is currently under construction and slated for completion in 2015.
The F-35C and EMALS still face funding and technological hurdles in their development, notes the website DoD Buzz, but the successful launch Nov. 18 is did demonstrate the future of aviation.
Updated 9:00 am PT on 11/30 with more details on the test launch aircraft.
More on Navy technology:
Kids' play has moved to tablets and PCs. In this new age, toy makers and researchers alike are sorting out the benefits — and detriments — of playful educational interaction in virtual space.
This Is Why I'm Broke
I don't really know what I expected to find on a site called "This Is Why I'm Broke" when I first heard about it a few months ago, but I certainly didn't think that it would become the main stop for my geeky holiday shopping needs.
Yet here I am — debit card in one hand, mouse in the other.
This Is Why I'm Broke
This Is Why I'm Broke is not a traditional shopping site — meaning that it's not an retailer or reseller and won't take any of your money. Instead it'll provide you with a collection of some of the silliest, geekiest, and strangest items on the Internet — along with links to online shops which offer them.
There are things like water jet packs, suit pajamas, flying radio controlled sharks, jedi bath robes, 7-foot gumball machines, custom bobbleheads, glow-in-the-dark toilet paper ... and well, you're probably starting to get the idea. This Is Why I'm Broke basically lists everything a geek's dream store would contain — which should make holiday shopping a breeze.
Related stories:
Want more tech news, silly puns or amusing links? You'll get plenty of all three if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on Twitter, subscribing to her Facebook posts, or circling her on Google+.
Nintendo
Talk about 3-D. The racing karts from "Mario Kart 7" are more real than they might appear.
Nintendo's beloved, madcap "Mario Kart" racing franchise is known for its zany race cars, even zanier power-ups and for delivering nothing but high-speed, high-octane fun.
With the new "Mario Kart 7" game about to launch for the Nintendo 3DS, the game company has launched a new TV advertisement imagining what it might be like if we could really jump into the game's wacky cartoon karts and race them against our friends on colorful courses that seem almost real.
The ad itself is a pretty nifty blend of the real world and the animated one. Check out the below video for yourself.
But what's really cool, is catching a glimpse of how the ad was made ... and realizing that they used real, fully operational karts plucked from the game design when they shot the video. California-based stunt driving company Drivers Inc. posted the following behind-the-scenes footage from the shoot:
Nintendo 1 from Driversinc on Vimeo.
Nintendo 2 from Driversinc on Vimeo.
If only Mario's real-world kart also came with a real-world pop-out hang glider. I'd run right out and buy myself one. Alas, it looks like we'll have to stick to flying cars in "Mario Kart 7" which officially launches Dec. 4.
(Thanks to GameSetWatch for the heads up.)
For more game news, check out:
Winda Benedetti writes about games for msnbc.com. You can follow her tweets about games and other things here on Twitter or join her in the stream here on Google+. And be sure to check out the In-Game Facebook page here.
"My dream has always been to build a 'Star Trek' computer," Google Fellow Amit Singhai tells the camera in the company's latest promotional video, "The Evolution of Search."
"In my ideal world, I would be able to walk up to a computer and say, 'Hey, what is the best time for me to sow seeds in India given that monsoon season was early this year?' "
And what I'm thinking is, "Wait … what? Google can't do that now?"
In the 14 years since it was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin at Stanford University, Google has grown so ubiquitous, so understanding of our search wants — if not our needs — that it's weird when someone points out something Google can't do.
As Louis CK said of technology in 2009, "Maybe we need some time where we're walking around with a donkey with pots clanging on the sides, because everything's amazing now and nobody's happy."
Certainly, for journalist types and hardcore info geeks in general, there are alternative info-seeking tools — Quora, Blogdigger and Omgili to name a very few — each tailored to the specific bit of info you need. For all manner of general info however — from checking our spelling to checking out the aerial view of a crush's place of residence — Google is the first place we go.
How weird it is to hear Google's Singhai talk about a time when Google News didn't exist — and that it was Sept. 11, 2001 when he and other members of the Google team realized they weren't good enough.
"When Sept. 11 happened, we as Google were failing our users," Singhai says. "Our users were searching for 'New York Twin Towers,' and our results had nothing relevant related to the sad events of the day because our index was crawled a month earlier and of course there was no news in that index."
How weird it is to hear any tech giant admit it wasn't good enough? In the short run, Google placed links to news sites on its home page, and in the long run, Google News came to be.
"The Evolution of Search" covers more of Google's growth, and by proxy, that of the Internet, in little more than six minutes that say a lot about how far Google's come, and how much we take for granted.
More on the annoying way we live now:
Helen A.S. Popkin goes blah blah blah about the Internet. Tell her to get a real job on Twitter and/or Facebook. Also, Google+.
Nielsen
Android is the leading smartphone operating system in the United States, while Apple is the leading smartphone manufacturer, Nielsen said Tuesday.
The research firm said 71 percent of U.S. smartphone consumers have either Android phones or iPhones, up from 67 percent in July, when Nielsen issued its previous report.
And while there are app stores from other phone makers, such as BlackBerry and Windows, 83 percent of those who have downloaded an app in the past 30 days had either an Android phone or an iPhone.
According to Nielsen’s latest data, for the third quarter, 44 percent of all U.S. mobile subscribers now have smartphones, and "among those who purchased a new mobile phone in the last three months, 56 percent chose smartphones."
RIM, which makes BlackBerry, continued its decline in US share; Nielsen says RIM had 17.8 percent of the U.S. market, down from 20 percent in July.
Related stories:
Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on Facebook, and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.
Ubisoft
Our "deals of the day" roundup is a selection of some of the better gadgets, gaming and app deals on the Internet right now — with a few strange odds and ends thrown in for fun. Here's what's worth considering today: "Assassin's Creed: Revelations" for $50, free apps, discounted Sony gear and more.
Gadgets:
Gaming:
Apps:
Miscellaneous odds and ends:
Today's deals were discovered via:
Dealhack, AppBrain, LogicBUY, FatWallet, Laptopaholic, 148Apps,SlickDeals, CheapStingyBargains, Dealzon, Brand Name Coupons, GamerHotline, HDTVaholic and Tabletaholic.
Please read the detailed descriptions of each linked offer carefully beforebuying — msnbc.com is not responsible for the duration or integrity of individual deals.
Want more tech news, silly puns, or amusing links? You'll get plenty of all three if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on Twitter, subscribing to her Facebook posts, or circling her on Google+.
Philips
Soft-glowing bioluminescent lights powered by methane gas harvested from the human waste stream could help set the mood in your living room.
Soft-glowing lights powered by energy harvested from human waste could soon set the mood everywhere from nightclubs to living rooms, according to an electronics company.
The lights, designed by Philips, are hand-blown glass cells filled with a culture of bioluminescent bacteria that are fed via silicon tubes connected to a source of methane gas harvested from food and body waste.
The company notes that the bioluminescent lighting is too low-intensity for functional illumination, but says the system could light up the edge of the road at night or power signs pointing to the bathroom at movie theaters and nightclubs.
Another potential use offered by Philips is "new genres of atmospheric interior lighting with, for example, possible therapeutic and mood-enhancing effects."
Though it might take a little getting used to mood lighting powered by poop and wilted lettuce, the concept is another example of how to live more sustainably on a planet with finite resources.
"Energy-saving light bulbs will only take us so far," Clive van Heerden, Senior Director of Design-led Innovation at Philips Design, notes on the company website.
"We need to push ourselves to rethink domestic appliances entirely, to rethink how homes consume energy, and how entire communities can pool resources."
[Via Discovery News and Gizmag]
More on poop to power technology:
Kids' play has moved to tablets and PCs. In this new age, toy makers and researchers alike are sorting out the benefits — and detriments — of playful educational interaction in virtual space.
Toilet video games at bars in London make you the controller. In-Game's Todd Kenreck reports.
Groups work to establish a rating system for apps similar to one already used for video games. NBC's Brian Mooar reports.
A rating system that mirrors the one now used for video games will be applied to mobile apps, the wireless trade industry association said Tuesday, in conjunction with the Entertainment Software Rating Board. The move is geared to provide guidance to parents and children, especially when it comes to sexually explicit or violent apps.
The ESRB's ratings system — with seven classifications, from "Early Childhood" to "Adults Only" — is being initiated by AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Microsoft and "other storefronts have indicated their interest in joining," CITA, the wireless group, said in a statement. (Msnbc.com is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBCUniversal).
"CTIA is proud to have worked with the six founding storefronts, ESRB and developers to create this user-friendly and reliable mobile application rating system that will provide parents and consumers with information so they can determine what’s appropriate for children," said Steve Largent, CTIA president, in a statement.
The idea of an age rating system for mobile apps is:
The rollout schedule for the ratings system will vary by mobile storefront, CTIA said. But it promises the ratings process itself will be quick and not get bogged down:
When developers submit their applications to a participating storefront they will be able to complete a detailed yet quick multiple choice questionnaire that is designed to assess an application’s content and context with respect to its age-appropriateness. This includes violence or sexual content, language, substances, etc., as well as other elements such as a minimum age requirement, the exchange of user-generated content, the sharing of a user’s location with other users of the application and the sharing of user-provided personal information with third parties. Once developers complete all answers to these questions, their applications are rated within seconds.
Each app that is rated gets a "certificate and a unique identifying code" that can be used with other app stores, CTIA said.
The ESRB will "routinely test" the most popular apps and monitor any consumer complaints.
With more than 500,000 apps, Apple's App Store has the most apps, and its own approval system for them. Msnbc.com has asked Apple to comment on the new program, and will update this post if the company responds. We've also asked Google, which has the Android Market, second in the number of apps, with more than 200,000, for comment as well.
Updated, 3:45 pm ET: While Google says it commends what CTIA is doing, the Android Market already has a four-tier app rating system in place that it will stick with. Apps are rated either "everyone," "low maturity," "medium maturity" or "high maturity."
"We've put a lot of effort into Android Market's rating system, which now works well globally," said a Google spokesperson. "So while we support other systems, we think it's best for Android users and developers to stick with Android's existing ratings which are well known and understood.”
Related stories:
Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on Facebook, and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.